New Hampshire cog railway keeping jobs in rural America
New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Cog Railway is the world’s oldest mountain-climbing train. It’s also about as small-business as they come. Each diesel-powered engine is custom built in a warehouse at the base of Mt. Washington. Like many businesses across the country though, The Cog is being faced with a shortage of mechanics and engineers needed to keep this place going. But the old Cog Railway is about to offer new opportunities to a whole new generation of the workforce. [bfo.org]
Virginia governor-elect inheriting massive rail projects
Virginia’s transportation system was far from the biggest issue during the gubernatorial election, and Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin spoke sparingly on the campaign trail about his vision on public transit and passenger rail. But his administration will inherit the most ambitious rail project in the state’s recent history, with some wondering whether the incoming Republican shares his predecessor’s vision for passenger rail in Northern Virginia and across the state. [insidenova.com]
Why the UK’s high-speed rail plan was cut in half
in January 2019, Britain’s government announced a makeover of Northern England’s rail infrastructure – Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). The project was supposed to deliver new high-speed rail connections between Manchester and Leeds (known as HS3), and between Leeds and Birmingham (on HS2, a London-Birmingham line due to open in 2029), thus linking England’s four largest urban areas with faster train service. Now the project’s proposed £34 billion ($45.6 billion) budget is being slashed by half. [bloomberg.com]
When will public transit return to pre-pandemic levels?
In some of the biggest cities in the U.S. including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, the public transportation systems are essential for workers, tourists, and everyday people. The pandemic radically changed that situation. With some workers confined to their homes and others nervous about contracting COVID-19 on public transportation, ridership numbers plummeted. With ridership habits changing from peak rush hour to other times as companies give workers more flexibility with their schedules, transit systems will have to adjust. [fortune.com]
Bullet train through the Tibetan mountains a tech triumph
For the first time in history, individuals visiting Tibet can experience the area’s mountains and views at high speed, via Tibet’s first ever bullet train. Stretching 435 km the line connects the capital city of Lhasa with the city of Nyingchi allowing all 31 provinces of mainland China access to this new line. Featuring 47 tunnels, 121 bridges and a 525 m long bridge – making it the largest and highest arch bridge of its kind in the world – building this railway line was no easy task. [railway-technology.com]
